Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Filed: 2026-07-30

The fourth-circuit denied Gregory Clinton’s petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to compel the district court to docket and rule on his motion for compassionate release. The court held that while the prefiling injunction entered against Clinton did not bar the filing of his motion because it applied only to civil complaints and petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 1915A, mandamus relief was inappropriate under the applicable legal standard. The court applied the strict requirements for extraordinary mandamus relief, which require the petitioner to demonstrate no other adequate means to attain relief, a clear and indisputable right to that relief, and that issuance is appropriate under equitable principles and the interest of justice. The court concluded that Clinton failed to satisfy these criteria due to his years-long abuse of the court system, including frivolous litigation and threats against court personnel, which meant he did not come to court with “clean hands.” Additionally, the district court had indicated it would deny the motion as meritless if filed, meaning granting mandamus would not effect right and justice. As a result, the petition was denied, leaving the district court’s refusal to docket the motion in place.

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